Combination closure and handle device



2 Sheets-Sheet l M. GOTTSEGEN Nov. l, 1955 COMBINATION CLOSURE ANDHANDLE DEVICE Filed March 8, 1954 M. GOTTSEGEN COMBINATION CLOSURE ANDHANDLE DEVICE Nov. l, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 8, 1954 UnitedStates Patent COMBINATION CLOSURE AND HANDLE DEVICE Marten Gottsegen,Chicago, Ill.

Application March 8, 1954, Serial No. 414,843

2 Claims. (Cl. 229-54) This invention relates to top closure devices forcontainers such as bags and the like and also to separable handlemembers attachable to such containers. More particularly, the inventioncomprises a combination closure device and handle member which, afterserving its initial function as a closure member, continues to functionas a convenient handle, thereby converting which would otherwise be anordinary bag container to a shopping bag type of container.

In recent years marketing methods, especially packaging of innumerableand varied merchandise has been revolutionized by the introduction ofplastic bag containers replacing the more conventional paper bagcontainers heretofore used. Such bags are of both the transparent andopaque varieties including those made from such materials aspolyethylene, cellophane, etc. Bags made of such materials areordinarily stronger and hence more permanent than paper bags. Thisproperty as well as other desirable properties of such bags enable thecontinued use of the bags as containers long after they have servedtheir initial packaging function. Oftentimes, they may be used asshopping bags or similar carriers for transporting articles.

It is also well known that packages and containers of various typeswhich are provided with handles enabling the same to be handled andtransported by the lmere grasping of the handles in the hand of theoperator are preferred to handleless packages. Logically, merchandisepackaged in such containers is more saleable than mechandise packaged inthe more conventional containers.

Heretofore, however, the cost of such packages was prohibitive andtherefore seldom, if ever, used. Moreover, the diliculty experienced inattempting to provide a satisfactory closure device for use inconnection with a bag provided with handles was a factor contributing tothe non-use thereof.

It is therefore an important object of this invention to provide acombination bag closure and handle device so constructed and designed asto overcome all of the objections mentioned hereinabove.

Another important object is to afford a combination bag closure andhandle device unitarily formed and capable of affording a satisfactoryclosure of the container when the same is attached to the mouth oropening of a container such as a bag.

A further object is to provide a separable handle device which may bereadily affixed to a container in such a manner that the same serves asa closure member for the container.

Yet another object is to afford a top closure member which may bemounted over the opening of a container and which after it has completedits initial function as a closure member still retains an additionalfunction as a carrying handle. An object relating thereto is toconstruct the closure member with a perforated separation area by meansof which the seal may be broken, said Patented Nov. 1, 1955 2 perforatedarea being so positioned that it does not alect or interfere with thehandle portions of the closure member.

Yet a further object is to provide a separable handle device which maybe formed by die-cutting, punching, and folding a blank of suitablematerial with portions of the material folded in such a manner as toprovide reinforcement of those portions of the handle which requirestrengthening.

Still another object is to afford a bag-type container with a separablecombination handle and top closure member mounted thereon, saidlatter-mentioned member affording additional space for prominentlydisplaying advertising indicia and the like.

Still a further object is to provide a device of the character describedwhich in addition to performing the several functions heretoforementioned, additionally reinforces the container in the area adjacentthe mouth of the bag thereby preventing the premature destruction of thebag at least at this vital position.

Finally another object is to afford a simply constructed, inexpensive,yet sturdy and attractive, combination closure and handle device forcontainers, especially of the bag type.

According to the invention the device comprises a pair of identicallyshaped handle members provided with aligned slots through which may beinserted the ngers of the carrier and by means of which the containerand its contents may be supported and transported. The handle membersare attached one to the other along a partially cut and partiallyperforated scored line so that both of the handles may be actuallydie-cut and formed from a single blank. Each of the handles comprises apair of members integrally formed and folded so. that the two arealigned one with the other. The bases of each of these latter-mentionedmembers may be attached one to each of the surfaces of the two sides ofa bag, so that the perforated separation line is positioned between thetwo sides and actually serves as a part of the closure member. Thehandles project upwardly and may be used as such while the same stillretain their initial closure function, When it is desired to gain accessto the contents of the bag, the device is separated along the perforatedline thereby opening the bag but without detaching the handle membersfrom the upper edges of the sides of the bags. Thereafter, the devicemay be used as a handle for the container.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel featuresof construction, arrangement and a combination of parts hereinafterfully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, andparticularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understoodthat various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details ofthe structure may be made without departing from the spirit orsacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of my invention, I haveillustrated in the accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment thereof,from an inspection of which, when considered in connection with thefollowing description, my invention, its mode of construction, assemblyand operation, and many of its advantages should be readily understoodand appreciated.

Referring to the drawings in which the same characters of reference areemployed to indicate corresponding v or similar parts throughout theseveral figures of the drawcontainer with my closure and handle devicemounted thereon; v

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the blank from which the combination closureand handle device is formed;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of the device with portions of thehandle member shown in section;

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of one of the handle members taken on theplane of line 4 4 in Fig. 5 of the drawings;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the handle device taken on the plane ofline 5 5 in Fig. 7 of the drawings and viewed in the directionindicated;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view similar to that of Fig. 5 but showing thedevice with the seal of the closure member broken;

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of a bag with my combination closure andhandle member in its initial operational position on said bag;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view similar to that of Fig. 4 showing the hand ofa carrier in dotted outline as it would be positioned in actualoperation; and

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a portion of a merchandise-lled bag withmy combination closure and handle device mounted thereon showing theclosure member separated and with one of the handle members removed forpurposes of illustration, the same however being shown in dottedoutline.

Referring to the several figures of the drawings, reference numeral 10indicates generally a handled container comprising a bag 12 with mynovel handle device 14 mounted thereon. The bag 12 may be formed fromany suitable material including paper, cloth, nylon mesh, or one of themany flexible plastic materials such as polyethylene, the vinyls,cellophane, and the like. The handle likewise may be formed from asuitable material combining the physical properties of sufficientstrength to support the weight of the merchandise-filled bag for whichit is intended, sufficient flexibility so that it may accommodate itselfto the approximate shape of the container both in its unfilled andfilled condition, as well as other characteristics such as workability,inexpensiveness, etc. I have found that a cardboard calendered on onesurface serves admirably as a material of construction for such ahandle.

Turning now to a more detailed description of the comt bination closureand handle member 14, attention is directed to Fig. 2 in which is showna blank 16 from which the handle 14 may be formed. The blank 16 isdie-cut to afford a pair of I-beam shaped panels such as 18. Thesepanels are connected along a weakened line 20, the end portions of whichare cut at 22, said cut extending inwardly from the outer edges for ashort distance until they communicate with a central perforated portion24. Thus it will be noted that the weakened line separates the blank 16into two identical portions which may be folded, in a manner to besubsequently disclosed, to provide both the closure member and thehandle device.

Each of the panels 18 is formed with a pair of rectangular segments 26and 28 formed at the outer ends of the same. Protruding inwardly andintegrally formed with the segments 26 and 28 are a pair oftrapezoidal-shaped segments 30 and 32, the sides of which convergeinwardly until they meet at the point 34, at which point the twotrapezoidal segments 30 and 32 are joined together along a scored foldline 36. Again it will be noted that each of the identical I-beam shapedpanels of the blank 16 are again formed from identically shaped panelsjoined together along the scored line 36.

Within each of the segments 30 and 32 central elongated slots such as 38may be formed by die-cutting along the lines 40 as shown in solidoutline in Fig. l of the drawings. One of the straight sides of the slot38 remains uncut but instead is merely scored as at 42, therebyaffording a fold line. Thus the portion of the blank cut out of the slot38 comprises a tab 44 joined to the panel along the scored fold line 42.The function of these tabs will be disclosed as the descriptionproceeds.

After the blank 16 has been die-cut and scored in the manner describedhereinabove, simple folding operations are all that are required tocomplete the handle and closure member. In this connection the blank isfirst folded along the weakened line 20 with the individual handles 18folded upwardly through an arc of 180 until they both abut each other inadjacent parallel relationship. When so folded the outerrectangular-shaped segments 26 and 28 are aligned one with the other asare the inner rectangular segments 26 and 28. Moreover, the four tabs 44are each aligned with each other.

The aforementioned tabs are then bent outwardly through an arc of untileach of them is folded back and against the adjoining portion of thetrapezoidal segments 30 and 32.

The handle is then completed by folding the smaller identical membersalong the scored line 46 until all of the segments are aligned in theposition shown in Fig. 8 of the drawings. In this position it will benoted that the tabs 44 folded inwardly serve as reinforcements for thehandle portion and that the aligned slots 38 permit the fingers of thehand of the carrier to be inserted therethrough in the manner shown inFig. 8 of the drawings. It will further be noted that the folded devicecomprises a pair of outer walls 48 and 50 and a pair of inner walls 52and 54 joined together at the bottom thereof along the perforated andpartially cut line 20.

After the handle has been fully formed as described hereinabove, thesame is then attached to the bag 12 in the manner which will now bedescribed in detail. It will be noted that the bag 12 is formed with twowalls or sides 56 and 58. The combination handle and closure member 14is mounted over the mouth of the bag with the bag side 56 positionedbetween the outer wall 48 and the inner wall 52. The other bag side 58is similarly positioned between the walls 50 and 54 of the handlemember. The bag and handle member are then joined together by suitablefastening means such as for example a plurality of staples 60 spacedapart in aligned relationship as shown in Figs. 4 and 9 of the drawings.Thus it will be noted that on one side the staples join one side of thebag 56 to a handle outer wall 48 and an inner wall 52, whereas on theother side the bag wall 58 is aixed between the handle walls 50 and 54.

Since the inner walls 52 and 54 of the handle member at this point arestill joined together along the scored line 20 as shown in Figs. 1 and 5of the drawings, it will be evident that this inner portion of thehandle member serves as a closure device for the mouth of the bag whileat the same time, the handle function of the device is unimpairedthereby. It should furdier be noted, as in Fig. 7 of the drawings, thatthe width of the handle member 14 is at most only slightly less thanVthe width of the mouth of the bag 12, so that a substantially fullclosure of the bag is effected by the mounting of the handle member asdescribed hereinabove. It should also be noted, as shown in Figs. 1, 3,and 9 of the drawings, that in mounting the handle members on the bag,only the rectangular segments 26 and 28 of the blank are positionedbelow the top of the mouth of the bag. The trapezoidal-shaped segments30 and 32 protrude upwardly above the mouth of the bag so that freeaccess to the finger-engaging slots 38, unimpeded by the bag walls, isprovided.

When it is desired to open the package, all that need be done is toseparate the top closure member along the perforations 24 as shown inFigs. 6 and 9 of the drawings. When so separated it will be noted thatthe handle walls 48 and 52 remain affixed to the bag wall 56 and thatthe opposite side of the handle, namely the walls 50 and 54, remainattached to the other bag wall 58. Thus, the handle remains inoperational position at all times, thereby preserving its initialfunction. Although the seal of the closure member has been broken, thebag may continue to be used as a carrier and, if desired, the

closure may be again eiected by joining together the inner handlesidewalls 52 and 54 by a suitable adhesive member or the like.

From the foregoing description it should be evident that I have provideda unique combination closure and handle device for containers having atop opening or mouth such as a bag. The device may be mounted on thecontainer so that a portion thereof serves as a top closure member whileat the same time other portions of the device serve as a handle. Thedevice is further constructed in such a manner that breaking the seal ofthe closure member does not alect or destroy the handle function of thedevice.

It is believed that my invention, its mode of construction and assembly,and many of its advantages should be readily understood from theforegoing without further description, and it should also be manifestthat while a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed for illustrative purposes, the structural details arenevertheless capable of wide variation within the purview of myinvention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesis:

1. A combination container and carrier comprising a exible bag, aseparable combination closure and handle device aixed to the uppermarginal edges of the bag, said closure and handle device comprising acardboard member accordion-folded along three fold lines to af.- fordtwo pairs of transversely aligned like segments positioned with two foldlines uppermost and one bottom fold line connecting the two pairs ofsegments, the width of said segments approximating the width of saidbag, the upper marginal edges of the sides of said bag positionedbetween each pair of adjacent carboard member segments and affixedtherebetween to aord a substantially complete closure for said bag, thecentral area of said cardboard member having at least one area ofweakness wherein the pairs of segments may be separated for gainingready access to the contents of the bag and transversely aligned handlemeans formed in the segments for providing means for carrying the bag.

2. The combination container and carrier of claim l in which said bottomfold line is weakened by perforations.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,691,741 Snyder Nov. 13, 1928 1,751,473 Duebener Mar. 25, 19302,400,759 Katz May 21, 1946

